Reversible pit conveyor for bowling lane



March 1966 H. c. CONGELLI ETAL 3,237,942

REVERSIBLE PIT CONVEYOR FOR BOWLING LANE Filed Oct. 16, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 INVENTORS HENRY c. ONGELLI B+IAMES D. ELLIOTT March 1, 1966 H. c. CONGELLI ETAL 3,237,942

REVERSIBLE PIT CONVEYOR FOR BOWLING LANE Filed Oct. 16, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS HENRY C. CONGELLI JAMES D. ELLIOTT BY f yr March 1963 H. c. CONGELLI ETAL 3,237,942

REVERSIBLE PIT CONVEYOR FOR BOWLING LANE Filed Oct. 16, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS HENRY C. CONGELLI JAMES D. ELLIOTT IQ M QEMM March 1, 1966 H. c. CONGELLI ETAL 3,237,942

REVERSIBLE PIT CONVEYOR FOR BOWLING LANE Filed Oct. 16, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.4 a

INVENTORS HENRY C. CONGELLI JAMES D. ELLIOTT BY gmz.gw

March 1,1966 H. c. CONGELLI ETAL 3,237,942

REVERSIBLE PIT CONVEYOR FOR BOWLING LANE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 16, 1962 FIG. 6

TAS

TBSi

CRlb

TIMER A CRlc INVENTORS HENRY C. CONGELLI JAMES D. ELLIOTT TIMER B TBS2 (H320 ll CRZPD United States Patent 3,237,942 REVERSIBLE PIT CONVEYOR FOR BOWLING LANE Henry C. Congelli, Stamford, and James D. Elliott, Riverside, Conn, assignors to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 230,842 11 Claims. (Cl. 273-43) This invention relates to bowling lanes and more particularly to the conveyor conventionally provided in the pit of the lane for handling of balls and pins.

In a typical bowling lane having automatic equipment a wide, endless belt conveyor is provided in the pit area for the purpose of conveying pins to pin elevating mech anism and for directing each rolled ball on its way to the ball elevating and return mechanism After both the first and second balls are rolled (e.g. in ordinary tenpin bowling) in the pit there is usually a mingling of the rolled ball and the pins which have been knocked down and removed from the pin deck. veyor, a ball and pins are subject to engagement with the kickbacks, backstop cushion and parts of the arrangement efiecting return of the ball. It is, therefore, natural that conditions can occur, though infrequently, wherein pins and a ball may become crowded and wedged in such a manner that normal removal of pins and ball will be impeded.

Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide bowling lane equipment wherein the crowding and wedging of ball and pins in such manner as to impede normal operation is prevented. In accordance with the invention this object is attained by a system wherein the pit conveyor is automatically reversed for a short duration in response to indication of an abnormal blockage caused by wedging, crowding, and jamming of pins, thereby to break up this blockage very quickly. This indication of a blockage is obtained automatically by sensing that within a predetermined elapsed time following rolling of the ball into the pit it has not been removed therefrom. The pit conveyor alternatively can be reversed through only a single duration of time or can undergo repetitive reversals indefinitely until removal of the blockage is indicated.

Further objects, advantages and details of this invention will become apparent from the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a lengthwise vertical section taken centrally through the pit area of a bowling lane and the equipment associated therewith;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the differential gear conveyor reversing unit and the solenoid driven linkage for controlling the same;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 2 and taken as indicated by lines 33 therein;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the differential gear unit as it is positioned in FIGURES 2 and 3;

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the differential gear unit operating linkage, as indicated by lines 5-5 in FIG- URE 2; and

FIGURE 6 is a schematic diagram of the electrical controls associated with the carpet reversing mechanism.

Referring to FIGURE 1, although only the pit area is shown therein it will be understood that the bed of the lane extends from the pit toward the right, terminating in the approach area from which the bowler rolls bowling balls. The pit conveyor 2, sometimes referred to as the carpet, comprises an endless belt having a width extending substantially the full distance between the kickbacks, only one of which is shown at 4. The pit con- In addition to the pit conveyor 2 travels about an idler roller (not shown) and a driven roller 6 axially mounted at its ends on split shafts 8. Motion is transmitted to the roller 6 from a constantly driven motor and reduction gear unit 10 by a belt drive 12 and a dilferential gear reversing unit 14, the latter unit being described in greater detail hereafter.

The pins which are knocked down or otherwise removed from the pin deck and carried under the backstop or cushion 16 by the conveyor 2 roll across a sloping plate 38 and into a conventional pin elevator 40 of the annular wheel type. The pins settle into pockets defined by spaced pusher flights on the wheel of the pin elevator 40 and are lifted thereby to an uppermost position from which they drop into a pin distributing mechanism. Such pin distributing mechanism, and the pinspotting and respotting mechanism which it supplies, are not shown because they form no part of the present invention and constit-ute commercially well known equipment.

In the course of operation of the pinspotting machine, the balls and pins are subject to mingling with each other and to contact with the kickbacks 4, cushion 16, conveyor 2, pin elevator 40 and the ball elevating mechanism comprising belt 24 and track assembly 30. It is occasionally possible, under abnormal conditions, that a ball and pins will become crowded and wedged in such a way that the entrance of the ball into the ball elevating mechanism for return thereof to the bowler will be prevented. In accordance with the invention, such a condition is overcome by one or more temporary reversals of the conveyor 2, which tends to break up the crowding and wedging of ball and pins. In the present case the existence of the condition which is the cause of the delay in return of the ball is signalled by the failure of the ball to actuate a switch 34 within a predetermined elapsed time following striking of the cushion 16 by a rolled ball. The differential gear reversing unit 14, and the solenoid-operated linkage for controlling the same, responsively accomplish this purpose and will be described with particular reference to FIGURES 2 to 5.

The cushion 16 extends across the pit in skew relation thereto, being spaced above the carpet 2 by a distance permitting bowling pins to be carried freely beneath the cushion 16, and is cut away at 18 to effect delivery of bowling balls to the ball elevating mechanism. Cushion 16 is carried by pivotal arms 20 which are resiliently urged toward a normal position by shock absorbing mechanism 21. A switch 22 is mounted for actuation by an extension 23 associated with the arms 2%, and the operation of switch 22 is such that it is normally maintained in an open position but is permitted to close momentarily upon the striking of cushion 16 by a bowling ball.

The ball elevating mechanism is basically of the type disclosed in the copending application of George Fried, Serial No. 15,297, and now Patent No. 3,107,917, and will be only briefly described. Balls are delivered through cutaway 1-8 to this mechanism, which comprises a travelling belt 24- and in cooperation therewith a vertioally shiftable track assembly 30. Belt 24 is driven from the motor and gear reduction unit 10 through a belt drive 28. In operation of the ball elevating mechanism, a bowling ball is rolled upwardly along the track assembly 30 by means of the counterclockwise-rotating belt 24, and as a ball reaches the top of the track assembly 30 it is delivered onto a ball return runway track 32. A normally closed switch 34 positioned adjacent the runway track 32 has an actuator 36 which is adapted to be depressed by a ball rolling on the track 32, thereby to open the switch 34 momentarily. The track 32 leads to a runway terminating at a ball storage rack or the like at the approach end of the alley.

The pulley 44 that is driven by belt 12 is loosely journalled on shaft 8 and is not keyed thereto. Integral and fixedly associated with the pulley 44 is a bevel gear 46. A circular cam disk 48 is keyed to shaft 8 and has a collar whereby the assembly is rotatably journalled in the kickback 4. In fixed, secured relation to the disk 48 there is provided a second bevel gear 50 which is identical to the bevel gear 46. Because the disk 48 is keyed to shaft 8, any rotation of this shaft to drive the carpet 2 must be effected through the driving of the combined disk 48 and bevel gear 50. An inner housing 52, also freely journalled on the shaft 8, is in the nature of the spider in an ordinary differential unit. On stub shafts 54 carried by the member 52 there are freely rotatable identical pinions 56, each of which meshes with both of the bevel gears 46 and 50. In operation, if the housing 52 is restrained and prevented from rotating on shaft 8, continuous driving of the pulley 44 in a counterclockwise direction (FIG- URE 1) will result in the driving of shaft 8 in the reverse direction, i.e. clockwise, which will result in a reverse motion of the pit conveyor 2 toward the head of the alley instead of toward the pin elevator 40.

The principal portions of the differential gear unit are enclosed by a circular cover 58 which is fastened to the housing 52. A projection 60 on housing 52 extends through a gap in cover 58 and on it there is pivotally mounted a detent 62. Detent 62 has a wing 64 adapted to engage a rubber stop 66 secured to housing 52, whereby rotation of the detent 62 in a clockwise direction (FIGURE 2) is limited. Detent 62 also has an abutment 68 adapted to be engaged for the purpose of swinging the detent about its pivot in a clockwise direction and, also, to prevent counterclockwise rotation of the entire housing 52 carrying the pinions 56. Detent 62 is urged in a counterclockwise direction by the coil spring 70 mounted coaxially with the detent pivot. The actual detent portion is indicated at 72 and is in the form of a tooth adapted to abut the end of a cam lobe 74 on the disk 48 that is keyed to shaft 8. Therefore, when the detent portion 72 is normally placed in this cam lobe abutting position by the action of coil spring 70, any rotation of housing 52 in a counterclockwise direction (FIG- URE 2) will be transmitted to the shaft 8 through engagement of detent portion 72 with the cam lobe 74.

Normally, then, the housing 52 will be locked against unrestricted movement relative to disk 48 and gear 50 by the action of detent portion 72 and cam lobe 74. Thus, in accordance with well known principles of operation of a differential gearing unit, motion from pulley 44 will be transmitted directly through the nonrotating pinions 56 of the disk 48 which is keyed to shaft 8, and the conveyor 2 will be driven in the forward direction, i.e. toward the rear of the machine. Means are provided to act upon abutment '68 to effect swinging of detent portion 72 out of the range of engagement with cam lobe 74 and thereby permit relative rotation between housing 52 and the combined disk 48 and gear 50. When this occurs, again in accordance with well known principles, rotation of the pulley 44 will be transmitted to the shaft 8 in the reverse direction by virtue of the per mitted rotation of pinions 56, and the conveyor 2 will then be driven in the reverse direction to break up the crowding and wedging of ball and pins. The means just mentioned are in the form of a lever 78 pivotally mounted at 76 and having a hook or stop 80 which may be swung counterclockwise into the path of travel of the abutment 68 on detent 62. When this occurs, the stop 80 then being in its dotted line position (FIGURE 2), the rotation of housing 52 will be stopped and the detent portion 72 will be swung out of the range of engagement with cam lobe 74, so that as previously explained this will effect the reverse driving motion of the conveyor 2. This operation of the lever 78 is effected through a link connecting the same with a lever 82 which is pivoted at 86 and urged resiliently in a clockwise direction by a coil spring 88.

Lever 82 is connected to the armature of a solenoid 92 by a link 90, with the energization of this solenoid being effective to drive the lever 82, link 84 and lever 78 to their dotted line posiions (FIGURE 2) to halt the rotation of detent 62.

The control circuit involved in the functioning of the invention will now be described with particular reference to FIGURE 6. Preliminary to such description, however, the system adopted in illustration of the relays should be noted. The contacts of certain relays are shown disassociated from their operating coils. For example, the coil of the ball lift relay is identified CR1, while the contacts which are operated by the energization thereof are identified as CRla, CRlb and CRlc. In accordance with this nomenclature, energization of CR1 will effect the closing of all of these contacts.

Switch 22, which as previously mentioned is permitted to close momentarily upon striking of backstop or cushion 16 by a rolled ball, is connected in series with the ball lift relay CR1. It is desired to maintain relay CR1 energized until the ball is actually lifted to the runway track 32 and momentarily depresses the actuator 36 of switch 34, and to this end relay CR1 has a set of holding contacts CRla. Thus it will be seen that even though switch 22 is closed only momentarily, thereafter relay CR1 will be held in through contact CRM and switch 34 until switch 34 is opened to break the holding circuit.

A pair of conventional time delay relays, designated timer A and timer B in FIGURE 6, are of the type which operate responsively to open or close a switch in a secondary circuit only after a predetermined time elapses following energization of the time delay relay. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, both timer A and timer B may be set for time delays of the order of two to three seconds, although as will be evident hereafter the timers may have different time delays depending upon desired design specifications. Timer A has a normally open switch TAS which is closed only after a predetermined delay following energization of timer A. Timer B has two normally closed switches, TBSl and TBS2, which are opened only after a predetermined delay following energization of timer B.

Contacts CRlb are closed immediately upon energization of relay CR1, which signals the striking of the backstop by a rolled ball. Immediately thereupon the time delay in timer A is initiated. Normally, a ball will be lifted immediately to the ball return runway and will open switch 34 to deenergize CR1, thereby opening contacts CRlb prior to the end of the elapsed time for which timer A is set. In such case, the timer A will be reset and its switch TAS will not be closed to energize a relay CR2 in series with this switch. However, if the ball is not lifted quickly to the ball return runway to open switch 34 prior to the end of this elapsed time, the timer A will close switch TAS to energize relay CR2. Relay CR2 has a set of contacts CR2b which will then be closed to energize the solenoid 92. Upon energization of solenoid 92, for reasons previously explained, the stop will be brought into engagement with detent abutment 68 to effect a reversal in the direction of movement of pit conveyor 2. Conveyor 2 will continue to be driven in the reverse direction until relay CR2 is deenergized by the opening of either switch TBSl of timer B or switch TAS of timer A.

Upon the energization of relay CR2, another set of its contacts, CR2a, will initiate the beginning of the elapsed time of timer B. The elapsed time for which timer B is set is the time during which it is desired tocontinue the reverse motion of conveyor 2, which may be of the order of two to three seconds. Following the energization of timer B at the end of the elapsed time for which it is set it will open its switches TBSl and TBS2, thereby deenergizing relay CR2 to discontinue the reverse motion of conveyor 2 through opening of contacts CR2b in series with solenoid 92. At the end of the elapsed time of timer B, however, the opening of switches TBSI and TBS2 is only momentary, for the resultant deenergization of relay CR2 causes timer B to deenergize through opening of contacts CRZa. Therefore, upon the reclosing of switch TBS2 the timer A willbe reset to begin a new period of elapsed time at the end of which the conveyor 2 again will be reversed (again for a limited period of time) through energization of relay CR2 and closing of contacts CR2b.

If at any time during the energization of timer A, the pit conveyor then being driven in a forward direction, the ball is lifted to the return runway and switch 34 is thereby opened, the operation of timer A will be interrupted through the opening of contacts CRlb by deenergization of relay CR1. If the ball is lifted to the return runway during the operation of the timer B, the pit conveyor then being reversed, timer B will be interrupted to effect immediately the forward motion of the conveyor 2 (rather than at the completion of the preset elapsed time). This deenergization of timer B will occur principally because of the opening of a set of contacts CRlc, in response to deenergization of relay CR1 due to the opening of switch 34, which contacts CRlc are in series with timer B.

In summary of the above, the operation as thus far described is as follows: Upon the rolling of a ball against the cushion the timer A is energized. If the ball is lifted to the return runway to open switch 34 before the elapsed time of timer A runs out the relay CR2 will not be energized to effect reversal of carpet motion through energization of solenoid 92. Instead, contacts CRlb will be opened to deenergize and reset timer A. However, if the ball is not lifted to the return runway to open switch 34 before the preset time of timer A runs out, then timer A will close its switch TAS and effect energization of relay CR2 to cause reverse conveyor motion initiated by energization of solenoid d2. Immediately upon the beginning of reverse motion of the carpet the operation of timer B will be initiated. If the ball is not returned before the end of the preset elapsed time of timer B, which may be of the order of a few seconds, then switches TBSl and TBS2 will be momentarily opened to effect the deenergization of relay CR2 and consequent resumption of forward carpet motion due to deenergization of solenoid 92. Also, the momentary opening of switch TBS2 will reset and re-energize timer A and deenergize and reset timer B through opening of contacts CRZa. However, if the ball is returned at some time during the reverse motion of the conveyor this reverse motion will be immediately interrupted because of the opening of contacts CRlb and CRllc as previously eX- plained.

In the above description, until the ball is lifted to the return runway, repetitive time cycles of reversals between forward and reverse motions will take place. In other words, until the ball is returned the conveyor will move in the reverse direction for a few seconds, then in a forward direction for a few seconds, then in reverse, then forward, and so on. The function of a holding relay HR and manual selection switch SS have not as yet been mentioned. The invention also embraces a system wherein the conveyor reverses only once, and after a predetermined elapsed time is restored to forward motion indefinitely until the ball is returned. In practice, the system can be built to operate on a fixed mode of operation according to either repetitive reversing cycles or only a single reversing cycle, but for purposes of illustration there is shown in FIGURE 6 a system which will operate selectively on either mode. It will be recognized that the timer B determines the duration during which the conveyor is driven in the reverse direction, and that when this predetermined time has elapsed the timer B will effect the resetting and re-energization of timer A. However, following the complete duration of operation of timer B if timer A is not re-energized then the conveyor will be driven in the forward direction indefinitely, following its single reversal, until the ball is returned. This re-energization of timer A can be prevented by maintaining the energization of timer B after it has completed its elapsed time and opened switches TBS]. and TBS2. To this end, the manual selection switch SS can be closed to place in operation a holding relay HR which is in series with timer B. With switch SS closed, then the timer B will be maintained in energized condition even after the opening of contacts CRZa. It will be seen, therefore, that manual selection switch SS may be closed to effect a cycle of opera-tion in which the conveyor will run in the reverse direction only once, for a few seconds, and then will return to forward motion for an indefinite time until return of the ball.

Thus it will be seen that in accordance with this invention a blockage caused by crowding and wedging of ball and pins is broken by a reversal in direction of travel of the pit conveyor. This reversal is effective because in any such blockage the ball and pins are being urged together, into a crowded gathering, whereas upon reversal of the pit conveyor they will be dispersed away from one another. In general, a single reversal of the pit conveyor should be effective to resume normal operation, though if desired the repetitive cycling feature described above may be employed. A particularly advantageous feature of the specifically disclosed embodiment of the invention is that it is only a reversal of the driving connection, and not a reversal of the prime mover, which is involved in conveyor reversal. That is, the motor and reduction gear unit 10, belt drive 12 and pulley 44 are driven constantly and in the same direction as compared, for example, to the obvious problems which would be involved in the use of a reversible motor. In accordance with this invention, reversal is accomplished by the simple expedient of controlling the differential gear unit 14.

It will be understood that various departures from the specifically disclosed embodiment of the invention may be effected without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bowling lane, a pit area adjacent the pin deck of the lane, means associated with said pit area for removing bowling balls and pins therefrom, a conveyor in said pit area associated with said means for delivering thereto said balls and pins, means normally driving said conveyor in the forward direction to effect said delivery of balls and pins, conveyor reversing means operable on said driving means to effect driving of the conveyor in a reverse direction to disperse a blockage of ball and pins, means associated with said pit area and responsive to rolling of a ball into the pit area to produce a first signal, means associated with said pit area for sensing the removal of the ball therefrom to produce a second signal, and a timing cont-r01 circuit receiving said signals and operating said conveyor reversing means if said second signal is not received within a predetermined time duration following reception of said first signal.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said conveyor reversing means is operated by said timing control circuit for only a predetermined period of time.

3. In a bowling lane, a pit area adjacent the pin deck of the lane, means associated with said pit area for removing pins therefrom, ball return apparatus including means for receiving a ball from said pit area and carrying it along a path of travel leading upwardly and thence downwardly toward the approach end of the lane, a conveyor situated in said pit area and associated with said first-mentioned means and said ball return apparatus for the delivery of pins and balls thereto, means normally driving said conveyor in a forward direction for said delivery of pins and balls, conveyor reversing means operable on said conveyor driving means to effect driving of said conveyor in a reverse direction, thereby to disperse a blockage by a ball and pins, means positioned along said path of travel and adapted to be actuated by movement of a ball therealong, a backstop ball cushion extending transversely across said pit area, means connected to said cushion and adapted to be actuated by the striking thereof by a ball rolled into the pit area, and a control system for said conveyor reversing means including timing means, said timing means being initiated in response to actuation of the last-recited means to operate said conveyor reversing means after a predetermined time duration following said initiation of its operation, and said means positioned along said path of travel being connected to said timing means to deactivate the same upon movement of said ball therealong.

4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein said timing means is adapted to operate said conveyor reversing means repetitively throughout successive interrupted time durations until said timing means is deactivated upon return of the ball along said path of travel,

5. In a bowling lane, a pit area adjacent the pin deck of the lane, means associated with said pit area for removing pins therefrom, bowling ball return means including a device for lifting a ball from said pit area and a ball return runway leading from said lifting device toward the approach end of the lane, a horizontal conveyor associated with said means for removing pins and said lifting device for delivering thereto said pins and balls, means selectively operable to drive said conveyor either in a forward direction effecting said delivery of pins and balls or in a reverse direction to disperse a crowding and wedging thereof, means adapted to be activated in response to the lifting of a ball from said pit area by said lifting device, means adapted to be actuated in response to rolling of a ball into said pit area, a control system having an output connected to said selectively operable driving means to effect the forward or reverse direction thereof, said control system including a timer initiated by actuation of said means responsive to rolling of a ball and being connected to said means responsive to lifting of a ball to receive signalling of actuation thereof, and said timer in said control system effecting operation of said driving means in the reverse direction in the absence of signalling of the aforesaid lifting of a ball within a predetermined elapsed time following signalling of the rolling of a ball.

6. The invention according to claim 5, including a sec ond timer in said control system, said second timer being connected to be initiated in response to the beginning of movement of said conveyor in reverse direction and connected to said means responsive to lifting of the ball to receive signalling of actuation thereof, said second timer in the control circuit effecting resumption of operation of said conveyor in the forward direction in the absence of signalling of the aforesaid lifting of a ball within a predetermined elapsed time following said beginning of reverse conveyor movement.

7. In a bowling lane, a pit area adjacent the pin deck of the lane, means associated with said pit area for removing pins therefrom, ball return apparatus including means for receiving a ball from said pit area and carrying it along a path of travel leading upwardly and thence downwardly toward the approach end of the lane, a conveyor in said pit area for delivering pins and balls respectively to the first-mentioned means and to said ball return apparatus, means normally driving said conveyor in a forward direction for said delivery of pins and balls and operable to drive said conveyor in a reverse direction, and a control system for said driving means including means responsive to delay in the return of a ball along said path of travel following rolling thereof into said pit area to initiate driving of said conveyor in a reverse direction for a limited duration of time.

8. In a bowling lane, a pit area adjacent the pin deck of a lane, means associated with said pit area for removing pins therefrom, ball return apparatus including means for receiving a ball from said pit area and carrying it along a path of travel leading upwardly and thence downwardly toward the approach end of the lane, a conveyor in said pit area for delivering pins and balls respectively to the first-mentioned means and to said ball return apparatus, means normally driving said conveyor in a forward direction for said delivery of pins and balls and operable to drive said conveyor in a reverse direction, a backstop ball cushion extending transversely across said pit area, and a control system for said driving means including a timer connected to and initiated by said cushion upon striking thereof by a rolled ball for effecting reversal of said conveyor after a predetermined delay in the return of said rolled ball along said path of travel.

9. In a bowling lane, a pit area adjacent the pin deck of the lane, means associated with said pit area for removing bowling balls and pins therefrom, a conveyor situated in said pit area and associated with said means for delivering thereto said balls and pins, means normally driving said conveyor in a forward direction effecting said delivery of balls and pins and operable to drive said conveyor in a reverse direction, and means for controlling the last mentioned means, said controlling means being responsive to a condition indicating a blockage caused by crowding and wedging of ball and pins to initiate said driving of the conveyor in a reverse direction, said drive controlling means comprising a controllable differential gear unit having its input and output shafts coupled between said conveyor and driving means.

10. In a bowling lane, a pit area adjacent the pin deck of the lane, means associated with said pit area for removing bowling balls and pins therefrom, a conveyor situated in said pit area and associated with said means for delivering thereto said balls and pins, means normally driving said conveyor in a forward direction effecting said delivery of balls and pins and operable to drive said conveyor in a reverse direction, and means for controlling the last mentioned means, said controlling means being responsive to a condition indicating a blockage caused by crowding and wedging of ball and pins to initiate said driving of the conveyor in a reverse direction, said responsive means comprises a timer indicating failure of the ball to be removed from said pit area within a predetermined time duration following rolling of the ball into the pit area,

11. In a bowling lane, a pit area adjacent the pin deck of the lane, means associated with said pit area for removing bowling balls and pins therefrom, a conveyor situated in said pit area and associated with said means for delivering thereto said balls and pins, driving means continuously operating in one direction, motion transmitting means connected between said driving means and conveyor, said motion transmitting means being selectively reversible to drive said conveyor normally in a forward direction to effect said delivery of balls and pins or to drive said conveyor in a reverse direction to break up a blockage of ball and pins, and means for controlling said motion transmitting means including means responsive to a condition indicating a said blockage of ball and pins to initiate thereby the driving of the conveyor in the reverse direction, said controlling means being responsive to failure of the bowling ball to be removed from said pit area within a predetermined elapsed time following rolling of the ball into the pit area.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,686,053 8/1954 Phillips 27343 2,782,902 2/1957 Sloane 198232 X 2,887,318 5/1959 Whipple et a1 27343 2,969,982 1/1961 Patterson et al 273-49 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

7. IN A BOWLING LANE, A PIT AREA ADJACENT THE PIN DECK OF THE LANE, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID PIT AREA FOR REMOVING PINS THEREFROM, BALL RETURN APPARATUS INCLUDING MEANS FOR RECEIVING A BALL FROM SAID PIT AREA AND CARRYING IT ALONG A PATH OF TRAVEL LEADING UPWARDLY AND THENCE DOWNWARDLY TOWARDE THE APPROACH END OF THE LANE, A CONVEYOR IN SAID PIT AREA FOR DELIVERING PINS AND BALLS RESPECTIVELY TO THE FIRST-MENTIONED MEANS AND TO SAID BALL RETURN APPARATUS, MEANS NORMALLY DRIVING SAID CONVEYOR IN A FORWARD DIRECTION FOR SAID DELIVERY OF PINS AND BALLS AND OPERABLE TO DRIVE SAID CONVEYOR IN A REVERSE DIRECTION, AND A CONTROL SYSTEM FOR SAID DRIVING MEANS INCLUDING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO DELAY IN THE RETURN OF A BALL ALONG SAID PATH OF TRAVEL FOLLOWING ROLLING THEREOF INTO SAID PIT AREA TO INITIATE DRIVING OF SAID CONVEYOR IN A REVERSE DIRECTION FOR A LIMITED DURATION OF TIME. 